


Finally time to talk

by FangsofLightening



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 17:02:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16453877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FangsofLightening/pseuds/FangsofLightening
Summary: Afternoon Tea was as fine a time as any to bring up the subject. Hopefully, the conversation wouldn’t push them farther apart.





	Finally time to talk

**Author's Note:**

> For Ravus Week on tumblr. Day 1 Prompt: Afternoon Tea/Free

Ravus was finally trusted enough to be placed in command of Fenestala Manor, and thus in control of his sister. With himself in command, Lunafreya was free to do as she pleased, with as few limitations as Ravus could get away with. 

It would be better if Lunafreya would talk to him. Even if it devolved into yelling- not really yelling, Fleurets weren't like that- at the very least they would get their feelings out. 

Ravus heavily sighed and set down his teacup.

"How long are you planning to be angry with me?" 

"How long are you planning on consorting with the empire?" 

Of course she would counter with such a question. 

"As long as it takes."

"For what?" 

She was glaring at him now. 

"For your safety and relative freedom to be assured."

"Ravus." 

"I have been gaining the empire's trust," he continued over her. "If they believe me to be loyal to them, I can protect you. You will have no need to worry." 

Surely she wouldn't overlook what he had already done since his arrival a month ago. He had made things better for her as quickly as possible. There were some things that would have to wait, as he didn't want to give the empire reason to grow suspicious of him, but she wouldn't hold those against him, would she?

"All you have done is give me more cause to worry," Lunafreya said. "Ever since the empire took Tenebrae, you- What was I meant to think when you joined them? It isn't exactly a secret that you hate Regis and Noctis." 

And that was enough for her to believe he would side with the empire that had murdered their mother and imprisoned them? She was smarter than that, he thought. Of course, he also thought she would have realized by now that Regis was not the amazing man she believed him to be. 

"Regis left you to die, and Noctis is going to take your life."

"Noctis will do nothing of the sort. My calling is to aid the Chosen King with his destiny to-"

"Purge our star of its scourge, yes I know. I also know you are not foolish enough to believe the Oracle at his side will not perish as well. Purging the Starscourge is a grand destiny, but the Chosen King is unworthy of your sacrifice. You should-"

Lunafreya straightened more and met his gaze with a fierce, determined stare as she interrupted him.

"Noctis is perfectly worthy. If it comes to it, I would gladly give my life so that he might succeed." 

Ravus scoffed. 

"You are blinded by the past, Lunafreya."

The last time she had seen Noctis, the prince had been eight years old. A kind, shy boy who had grown into a teenager sheltered behind Insomnia's Wall. By all reports, he was lazy and rarely bothered with any royal duties. 

"Do not speak to me of being blinded. You allow the past to blind you to what you ought be doing." 

He didn't need to ask to know what she was thinking he ought to do. 

"Lucis abandoned us when we needed them. They brought the empire here, and left us to die. If not for them-"

Lunafreya set her teacup down with more force than necessary. 

"Do not blame Lucis for that! The empire would have launched an attack regardless of Regis and Noctis' presence here. They held the rest of Tenebrae. It was only a matter of time." 

She wasn't listening. As much as he knew she was correct, there was still an important matter that she was overlooking. 

"What has Lucis done for us? For Tenebrae? Regis abandoned us to the empire after-"

"Regis did not kill Mother!" 

"I know that!" Ravus took a breath. "I could never forget who killed her." 

"If you can not forget, how can you work with him? You watched Glauca-"

"I was talking about me!" 

Ravus looked aside, unable to hold Lunafreya's gaze. That outburst was something he had intended to keep to himself. Glauca may have been the one to literally murder her- which he would never forget, and hated him for- and Regis may have brought the empire to them no matter how unintentionally, but Ravus knew whose fault it really was that she had died. He could hardly blame either of them for his own weakness.

"Ravus-"

"If I hadn't frozen, she would still be alive. I just sat there and my weakness killed her." 

For a few moments there was just the chirping of birds. For lack of anything better to do, Ravus added more sugar to his tea. Ignored hearing Lunafreya stand and seeing her walk around the table to his side. 

"You were frightened."

"No. I was confused. Confused and too stupid-"

"You were not stupid." Lunafreya wrapped her arms around him. "You were a sixteen year old in an imperial ambush." 

Ravus shook his head. He had gone over it countless times over the years. Rethinking everything he had done, how things had happened... 

"That does not excuse it. If not for me-"

"Glauca would have murdered her regardless." 

"He was there for Regis."

"If he were there for Regis, why did he bother with Mother?" Lunafreya took his face in her hands. "You did not kill our mother. It was the empire's fire that set her ablaze and Glauca's sword that stabbed through her."

She was technically right, and he knew exactly what she was trying. Ravus was glad for the chance to change the subject. 

"I must remain with the empire, Lunafreya. It is the only way to keep you safe." 

"Perhaps I do not wish for your protection." Lunafreya released him and returned to her seat across the table. "If the cost is losing you, I would rather suffer." 

"You will not lose me." 

"You are playing a game that you cannot win." Lunafreya took a sip of tea then sighed. "You cannot protect me Ravus. From the empire, yes. But if you aim to protect me from Eos, from destiny..." 

"Destiny. Your destiny is hardly one that ought to be embraced." 

"What would you have me do with myself? I am locked in a gilded cage until the empire sees fit to allow me to do my duties. Even then, they keep me under guard to ensure that I do not try to run. A destiny of death is preferable to the life I currently have." 

He knew well what sort of life she had with Niflheim in command. Improving her life as much as he possibly could was his top priority now that he had the power to do so. Thinking about it now, it was understandable that she would focus on such a destiny. Even Niflheim could not take that from her.

Once again, there was that familiar anger. 

"You would not have this life if Regis hadn't-"

"Regis tried to bring me with them," Lunafreya interrupted. "I couldn't leave you." 

And the anger popped, leaving disbelief in its place. 

"You... willingly..." 

"I let go of his hand." 

That was news to him. Ravus looked at his tea, feeling foolish for never considering that. In hindsight, it was so obvious. As most things were. 

"All this time, I believed he had abandoned you to save himself and Noctis." Ravus looked back to her. "Why didn't you tell me?" 

"There was never an appropriate time. I did not wish for you to blame yourself." Lunafreya reached across the table and placed a hand on his. "Promise me you will not blame yourself. I made my decision, and would do it again if needed." 

He certainly felt like blaming himself. Atop everything else- No. Lunafreya had always been more mature than he; she knew the consequences when she made the choice. He would not insult her by going against her wishes. 

"Even despite my joining the empire?" 

"Yes. I..." Lunafreya withdrew her hand to lift her cup once more. "I still do not like you aligning yourself with them. Understanding and liking something are different. You should have told me of your motivations back then. I would not have been angry." 

"You would have." Ravus stirred his tea again. "You would still have screamed at me. I would have still told myself you would understand in time." 

"I cannot understand motivations you do not tell me. To me, that decision was when I lost you. An explanation would have given me something to focus on when my initial anger had passed." 

Ravus drank some more tea as he let that sink in. All that unnecessary pain atop what Niflheim was already doing because he had thought Lunafreya wouldn't hear his reasons.  
Stupid. 

"I am sorry," he said. "For putting you through so much pain when you needed me." 

"I must apologize as well. For doubting you and not seeing." 

Ravus smiled at her, feeling much lighter than he had at the start of this conversation. That had gone... much better than he had anticipated it would. 

"You still have not said what you would have me do with myself." 

"I would have you free of a destiny demanding your death. To live your life as you want to. But we have made such progress today. Let us save talk of destiny for a later date."

They would never agree on her destiny; he knew that already. That was a subject best avoided for the time being. 

"Very well. What is life like in the empire?"


End file.
